Rudbeckia plant named ‘RUDLS291’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Rudbeckia  plant named ‘RUDLS291’ that is characterized by its vigorous growth habit yet maintaining a compact plant habit, its inflorescences that are relatively small in size, and its inflorescence disks that are brown in color and ray florets that are yellow-orange in color.

Botanical classification: Rudbeckia hirta.

Variety denomination: ‘RUDLS291’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2020/0005 filed on Jan. 6, 2020 under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Rudbeckia hirta and will hereafter by referred to by its cultivar name, ‘RUDLS291’. The new cultivar is an herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape plant.

‘RUDLS291’ was derived from a breeding program conducted by the Inventor at a nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to select new cultivars of Rudbeckia with floriferous blooming habits and compact plant habits.

‘RUDLS291’ was selected in July of 2018 by the Inventor from amongst seedlings in a trial field that had been planted with seed derived from open pollination of numerous unpatented and unnamed proprietary plants from the Inventor's breeding program in July of 2017. The exact parentage is therefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under the direction of the Inventor by tissue culture using meristematic tissue in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in March of 2019. Asexual propagation by tissue culture has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosure include but may not be limited to a website listing by AB-Cultivars (a company owned by the Inventor).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘RUDLS291’ as a unique cultivar of Rudbeckia.

-   -   1. ‘RUDLS291’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit yet maintaining a         compact plant habit.     -   2. ‘RUDLS291’ exhibits a very floriferous blooming habit.     -   3. ‘RUDLS291’ exhibits inflorescences that are relatively small         in size.     -   4. ‘RUDLS291’ exhibits inflorescence disks that are brown in         color and ray florets that are yellow-orange in color.

‘RUDLS291’ can be compared to the Rudbeckia cultivars ‘RUDSP123’ (not patented) and ‘RUDHT55’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,726). ‘RUDSP123’ is similar to ‘RUDLS291’ in inflorescence color. ‘RUDSP123’ differs from ‘RUDLS291’ in being taller in height and in having less spreading plant habit and inflorescences that are larger in diameter. ‘RUDHT55’ is similar to ‘RUDLS291’ in foliage shape and color. ‘RUDHT55’ differs from ‘RUDLS291’ in having a taller and less spreading plant habit, ray florets that are light grey-orange in color, and inflorescences that are larger in diameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Rudbeckia. The photographs were taken of a 6-month-old plant of ‘RUDLS291’ as grown outdoors in a 17-cm container in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘RUDLS291’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘RUDLS291’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘RUDLS291’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Rudbeckia.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 6-month-old plants of ‘RUDLS291’ as grown outdoors in 17-cm containers in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Average of 13 weeks from early summer to             late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Broad, upright, compact.         -   Plant shape.—Flattened globular.         -   Height and spread.—Average of 28 cm in height from soil             level to top of foliar plane and 28.9 cm in height from soil             level to top of floral plane, 50 cm in diameter.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 10.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility and resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.         -   Propagation.—Tissue culture.         -   Root development.—An average of 3 weeks for root initiation             with a young rooted plant produced in an average of 6 weeks.         -   Growth rate and vigor.—Moderate to high. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem shape.—Moderately angled.         -   Stem color.—Young stems; 145A, mature stems; 146D.         -   Stem size.—An average of 4 mm in diameter and an average of             18.3 cm in length.         -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy and densely covered with             strigose hairs an average of 1 mm in length and close to             NN155D in color.         -   Stem number.—Average of 20 main stems, 4 lateral branches             per main stem.         -   Internode length.—An average of 2.6 cm in length.         -   Stem aspect.—Main stems an average angle of 30° to vertical,             lateral branches in an average angle of 25° to main stems.         -   Branching.—Freely branching from base with lateral stems,             strong. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrow ovate to narrow elliptic.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Long cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Bluntly acute to narrowly obtuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color upper surface 148C, color             lower surface 146C.         -   Leaf margins.—Un-deeply coarsely serrate, coarsely slightly             undulate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 12.7 cm in length and 3.7 cm in width.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 138A and 143A, young lower             surface; 146B, mature upper surface; 137B, mature lower             surface; 146B.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface very slightly glossy, rough to             touch, lower surface is matte, slightly rugose, rough to             touch, both surfaces densely pubescent with short strigose             hairs; an average of 1.5 mm in length and NN155D in color.         -   Petioles.—Average of 5 mm in length, 4 mm in diameter, both             surfaces slightly glossy and densely covered with strigose             hairs, average of 1.5 mm in length, NN155D in color, upper             surface color 145B, lower surface color 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Terminal capitulum, consisting of ray florets and disk             florets.         -   Capitulum number.—1 per stem, up to 140 per plant.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 2 weeks,             persistent.         -   Capitulum size.—Matures to about 3.3 cm in height and 7.2 cm             in diameter, disk is an average of 2.3 cm in diameter.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Broadly cuneate base, obtuse             to bluntly acute apex, oblanceolate to narrow oblong in             shape, entire margins, average of 32 arranged in two rows,             2.2 cm in length and 5 mm in width, color; upper surface             when fully open 143A, lower surface when fully open 138B,             both surfaces and margins matte and densely covered with             strigose hairs; an average of 1 mm in length and NN155D in             color.         -   Receptacle.—Ovate in shape, an average of 1.2 cm in height,             8 mm in diameter, 157D in color.         -   Buds.—Globular in shape, immature ray florets pointed upward             and curling inward, up to 2 cm in length and 4.6 cm in             diameter, color; immature ray florets 153C, upper side of             immature involucral bracts 143A, under side 138B, involucral             bracts and immature ray florets densely covered with             strigose hairs; average of 5 mm in length and 153D in color             with hairs adpressed on immature ray florets.         -   Peduncle.—Strong, straight on top of main flowering stem,             average of 6.1 cm in length and 4.5 mm in diameter, color;             144A, axially striped 143A to 143B, surface moderately             glossy and densely covered with short strigose hairs; an             average of 1 mm in length and NN155D in color.         -   Ray florets.—Average of 19 (varying between 14 and 29),             rotate around the disk, oblong and moderately carinate in             shape, average of 3.2 cm in length and 1.2 cm in width,             3-lobed apex, apices of lobes narrowly carinate, cuneate             base, entire margins, both surfaces are velvety, matte and             glabrous, both surfaces moderately covered with very short             adpressed strigose hairs, average of 3 mm in length and 12C             in color, held near horizontal, color; when opening upper             surface; 14A, changing to 17A at base, upper half 17A, when             opening lower surface; 12A to 12B, when fully open upper             surface and veins; 17B, changing to 23A at the base, when             fully open lower surface; 13A, changing to 15A at the base,             veins 15B, changing to 153C.         -   Disk florets.—Average of 800, tubular, 22 whorls arranged             spirally on a conical receptacle, lower 90% fused into tube,             upper 10% free, about 6 mm in length and 3 mm in width, free             lobes have entire margins and are curled backwards, both             surfaces glabrous and slightly glossy, color; when opening             upper and lower surface; top 200A, mid-section between N186C             and N200A, base 155A, when fully open upper and lower             surface; top 200A, mid-section in between N186C and N200A,             base 196D, spines; none, bracts; 1 per disk floret, soft,             flattened, an average of 5.5 mm in length and 0.75 mm in             diameter, oblanceolate in shape, acute apex, narrow cuneate             base, color apex; 145A, mid-section; 145B to 145C, base             145D. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 5 mm in length, style; 3 mm in length,             color; 200A, mid- section 187A, base 155C, stigma; cleft,             decurrent, 3 mm in diameter, 200A in color, ovary; NN155A in             color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, filaments; 2 mm in length, 158D in             color, anther; narrow oblong in shape, 2 mm in length, 0.5             mm in width, 200A in color, pollen; very low in quantity and             14A in color.         -   Fruit/seed.—None observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rudbeckia plant named ‘RUDLS291’ substantially as herein illustrated and described. 